John H. Shaffer grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas, attended Hutchinson Public Schools, and graduated from Hutchinson High School and Hutchinson Community College in 1948.

In 1945, prior to graduation from high school, John enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served in that branch until his honorable discharge in May, 1946.

John attended the University of Kansas and graduated in 1950. He attended and graduated from Washburn University Law School in 1954 with a Juris Doctor Degree.

After graduation from Hutchinson Community College, John worked for the Fluor Corporation, a California construction company, until he entered law school. Upon graduation from law school in 1954, John joined a local law firm and became a partner in that firm which, upon merger, became Martindell Swearer & Shaffer LLP.

Currently, John is Of Counsel to the firm and is devoting much of his time to matters relating to older citizens and elder law issues. He is president of the Delos V. Smith Senior Citizens Foundation, and a member of its Board of Directors.

John married in 1951, and he and his wife, Lorene, have three sons. John has been very active in the Hutchinson community, involved in volunteer work, and many aspects of the legal profession.